Here's why GM is buying an autonomous driving software firm

General Motors announced Friday that it's acquiring Cruise Automation for Cruise's deep software talent and rapid development capability -- a move designed to further accelerate GM's development of autonomous vehicle technology.

Over the past two months, GM has entered into a $500 million alliance with ride-sharing company Lyft; formed Maven -- its personal mobility brand for car-sharing fleets in many U.S. cities -- and established a separate unit for autonomous vehicle development.